Portland, Ore – Portland is set to host the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) 2016 World Championship this week, as 16 roller derby teams from across the globe compete for glory on November 4-6 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Local hotels, restaurants and retail businesses are poised to see substantial benefits from an estimated $1.4 million economic impact generated by WFTDA teams, officials and fans, during what is typically a slower time of the year. The economic impact estimate provided by Travel Portland includes both visitor expenditures and event organizing costs.
“We are very excited to be hosting the world championships,” said Oregon Sports Authority CEO Drew Mahalic. “It is the perfect time of year to bring an economic boost to our community and we have no doubt that Oregonians will embrace the competition with unmatched enthusiasm.”
The current 2015 WFTDA World Champions, Rose City Rollers’ Wheels of Justice, will attempt to defend their title against elite teams from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia. Fans from all over the world will have the chance to explore the city the Rose City Rollers call home while watching top-notch derby. Broadcast live on ESPN3 and WFTDA.tv, the International WFTDA Championship is a three-day event that brings together the most talented, highly-trained skaters and teams from WFTDA member leagues around the world for the chance to compete for the Hydra trophy and the title of World Champions.
“Rose City Rollers is thrilled to host the World Championships of derby here in Portland,” said Kim Stegeman, Rose City Rollers Executive Director. “We love showcasing all that makes Portland weird and wonderful while folks also get to see the best derby in the world.”
For more information on the games, advancing teams, and how to get to the most anticipated tournaments of the year, check out the WFTDA’s tournament webpage: https://wftda.com/tournaments/2016
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